Caribou Legs, Indigenous ultra-marathoner, gets warm welcome in Nova Scotia
His name is Brad Firth, but he goes by "Caribou Legs."
He's a thousand kilometres away from finishing his cross-Canada run to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and children. His 7,400-kilometre run began on Mother's Day in British Columbia and will wrap up in Newfoundland next month.
There is no entourage or support vehicle on this marathon, and he carries everything he needs in his knapsack. So far, he's gone through 13 pairs of sneakers.
Running in memory of his sister
He was motivated to do the run after his sister Irene was killed as a result of domestic violence. He wanted to run in her honour, and for all of the missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Caribou Legs is an ultra-marathoner, so running 75 kilometres a day is hard but not out of his scope. The Gwich'in runner wears full war paint, a buffalo bone warrior breastplate and an eagle feather in his braided hair.
"It gives me a lot of strength," he said. "It gives me a way to give this message, a way to carry the message."
He has been stopped while running through western Canada by the RCMP. He said he has $500 in outstanding fines after motorists were alarmed by his roadside running.
In one case, he said a motorist thought his eagle feather was a gun and he was put in handcuffs.
Warm reception in Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, he has received a warmer reception. One RCMP officer stopped him to say "way to go" and then drove him to Tim Hortons to get a coffee. The RCMP are hosting him Friday morning at their Dartmouth headquarters as well.
Caribou Legs speaks to schools and universities along his route, and he is speaking at Halifax's Mi'kmaw Friendship Centre on Friday.
His hope is to raise awareness and keep alive the memory of his sister, and all the missing and murdered Indigenous women. And to show men how to be a peaceful warrior.
